Description: Let the
children glue the lids all over the foam board to make a ground control center.
Lean it up against a wall and let the children sit in front of it. Give them
a walkie talkie to pretend they are talking to astronauts in a rocket
ship.

Solar
System TelescopeSpark youngsters
interest in the Solar System with this teacher made telescope by M.
Fey.

Description:
Telescope: Paint the telescope or decorate it with markers
or stickers. Put stars inside the roll and on the black paper circle.
Attach the paper to the end of the roll. When kids look in
the end of the roll they will see the glow in the dark stars, as
if looking through a telescope. You could add the moon and glow
in the dark stickers also.

Comments: This idea
really sparked the student's minds. we had many compliments
from parent's telling us their kids were asking lots of questions.
We had the student's check the moon every night. They wanted
to learn all about space after this idea.

Outer
Space in the ClassroomDiana L. uses
her classroom ceiling to help youngsters learn about planets.

Description: I cut
open black garbage bags and stapled them to the ceiling. I then taped glow in
the dark stars to the garbage bags. Each day the children and I
discussed a different planet and taped it onto the ceiling in the proper
place making our solar system.

Dramatic
Play: Space SuitCreate a space suit
for pretend play with this idea from Diana L.

Description: Teacher
do this ahead of time: Cut a line up the center of a paper bag from the open end
to the bottom fold. This will be the front of the suit. On the bottom of the bag
cut out a circle shape for the neck of the child to fit in. This
circle should reach the line you've already cut into the bag. On each
side of the small ends cut
holes near folded end for arm holes. This bag should look like a vest when done.
Let child color or decorate the bags (suits) any way they
want. On the back of the bag( suit) tape a clean 2 liter soda bottle upside
down for an air tank.

Materials: Large box,
white paper, tape and crayons. Tool to cut a door in the box.

Description:
Get a large box (we used a refrigerator box). cover it with white paper.
Let the children color the white paper with crayons, put a name
on it, self portrait, country or flag. Whatever you and children
decide. color the bottom part like flames. You can put windows in
if you want. Cut out a door for the children to get in and out. Then let
the children pretend they are blasting off for outer space.

Picture
of an AstronautCreate this teacher
made backdrop by Diana L. and take a picture of a child flying
in a rocket in outer space.

Description: Near
the top of the center panel of the display board cut a circle large enough for a
head to be seen through it. Spray paint the display board black. Paint yellow
stars and a few blue planets on the black painted board. Make a rocket shape
out of the white tag board (rectangle shape with cone shape top). Cut
a circle out of the rocket below nose cone to match the circle in the
display board. With the red tag board make two long rounded triangle shape
fins for the rocket. Tape the fins onto the rocket near the bottom of
each side.

Then with the orange
tag board make flames and tape it to the bottom of the rocket. Now glue
the rocket onto the display board matching the circle holes. The nose
cone of the rocket should be taller than the display board. Tape or tack
the black paper to a wall and put the rocket in front of the black paper.
Have a child go behind the rocket, put their face into the hole and take
a picture of the child flying into space. You now have a picture
of each child as an astronaut.

Moon
WalkA friend of the
Preschool Rainbow offers this Space activity which encourages the
development of large muscle skills, balance and relaxation techniques.

Materials: : Pillows,
sheets, sponges, rubber bands, space music (see below for ideas),
space helmets that the children make. Other prop ideas: long tubing
(for their life support), goggles, things wrapped in tinfoil,
white clothing for their space suits, gloves, goggles, telescopes,
binoculars and old headphones,

Description: Create
a moon landscape for the children by placing pillows all over the floor. Cover
the floor with white or yellow sheets. Attach sponges to the children's feet
with rubber bands for space shoes. Play eerie and dramatic music as the children
walk across the moon landscape. There are some wonderful space
music tapes on the market right now (sometimes called New Age music). One
good one is Astral Journey by David and Steve Gordon, produced
by Sequoia Records, Box 280, Topanga, CA 90290. This is an excellent tape
and ideal for this activity. Celestial Suite is also
produced by these same artists.

Solar
System BoardPromote early childhood
education about the different planets with this lesson plan by Michele
H.

Materials: Books
or posters about the planets (need good visuals and descriptions
of the planets), a variety of art materials, including but not limited
to glue, scissors, colored sand, fluorescent markers or crayons, glitter,
yarn, etc.A large piece of black
bulletin board paper (sized for your display area).

Description: 1. Read
several stories and / or provide lots of visual displays showing the different
planets. Even better if there are verbal descriptions of the
planets' atmospheres.

2. Take
2-3 children at a time and sit them around the black paper. Tell
them you are going
to make a space scene which will show the different planets. Give
the children a chance to choose which planet they would like to make and
ask them to share what they know about the planet they have chosen.
Talk about the size, relationship to the sun or Earth and about its atmosphere.
Give the child an opportunity to decide which materials would be best
to reflect the planet that he or she has chosen.

3. Let
the children create their planets using their own creativity and imaginations.

4. As
a class project try to involve each child in some aspect of the
project. There are only 9 planets,
but there are also stars, the sun, the moon, comets, and other things which
could be included so that everyone has a chance to share in the fun!

Outer
Space Bulletin BoardEncourage preschool
children to help decorate an interactive bulletin board with
this activity from Mary S.

Materials: Black
paper, 9 shapes cut from construction paper in different sizes keeping
in mind the sizes of the planets in relation to each other., paint
andwater colors.

Description: Have
the children help to create the 9 planets and the sun and moon for
the display. I use different colors for the planets and also different techniques for painting
them such as sponge paint, splatter paint, balloon paint, brush, and water
color. Hang the planets, sun, and moon up on the bulletin board and
attach numbers on each so that the children can count each planet. Also,
I hang up a chart showing the order of the planets for the children to refer to
also they can follow the numbering that I have attached and see that they correspond
to the chart.

Space
DisplayAllow children to create
a sun, moon, and earth for display in the classroomduring this early childhood
art activity by Mary S.

Materials: White construction
paper, yellow and orange tissue squares,scissors and glue,
circle shaped item to dip into paint and then print on paper,gray or silver paint,
green and blue paint.

Description: Trace
a small, medium, and large circle onto the white construction paper.
The children cut out the circles. Glue tissue paper squares on the
large circle for the sun. Paint the medium size circle with the
blue and green paint for the earth. Dip the circular item
into gray or silver paint and make craters on the small circle for the
moon. Display these shapes around the room. When I did
this I took a quote from each child about something they had learned
about the sun, moon, and earth and displayed their quote along with their
art work.

Comments: I used this
during a parent program. The parents really enjoyed walking
around the room and reading their child's quotes. Also, when we
were finished studying space I took the shapes and their quotes and put
them together in a book.

Dramatic
Play: Space Children explore the
possibilities of a Space Center as they participate in this activity by
Mary R.

Description: I found
a preprinted space shuttle cockpit backdrop and taped it to the back of our cubbies
and onto a table that was set up against it. I washed and dried the milk
jugs and then cut around the handle so that I made a helmet with a "microphone"
hanging down. The milk jug is upside down. I then taped all the edges so they are
not sharp. Then I walked away. The kids did the rest.I did add a Greg
and Steve album with the song "Adventures in Space", It walks
you through a space flight. The kids will ask to play it over
and over again. I also added a book I found at a thrift store
called "Let's Go To The Moon". The kids are a blast
to watch.

Comments: Use
yours and the children's imaginations to decided what else to add.

Orbiting
The SunHelp young children
understand what the word "orbit" means during this space activity
by Mary S.

Description: Have
the children all stand in a big circle. Put one child in the middle to be the sun.
Then we all moved in a circle around the child in the middle to illustrate
the planets orbiting the sun. We moved at different speeds, backwards and
forward. Each child was given a turn to be the "sun". The children loved
this and it really helped to understand how the planets orbit around the sun.

Two
Pretend PlanetariumsLiz suggests
this early childhood space activity saying, "Create a stargazer's
dream planetarium and a Big Dipper projector. Children can imagine
being a part of the night sky, floating in space or traveling to
another planet."

Description: Have
the children paint the paper towel rolls white. When dry,
glue the cone cup on one end. On the other end glue 3 or 4 strips
of crepe paper. Have the children write USA on the roll and then
add sticky stars and flag stickers.

Art
Activity: Astronaut HelmetPreschool children
use creative skills as they learn about space
equipment during this art activity by Mary S.

Description: Trace
an astronaut shape onto the white construction paper. Also trace a space for the
face. The children cut out the helmets but you may have to cut out the face
portion. Tape a piece of aluminum foil in the space where the face should be.
Let the children draw a face on the aluminum foil with the markers (permanent
markers work the best). Write the child's name underneath
the face. Then the children stick on the American flag and the star
stickers..

Art
Activity: Black and White Basic ColorsEncourage preschool
children to recognize the color black and associate it with
night and how the sky looks at night as they participate
in this activity by Marlin G. Even toddlers can scribble
on black paper with chalk.

Materials: Black construction
paper, chalk of assorted sizes, shapes, and colors. Depending
on the ability of the child, shapes to trace around such as cookie
cutters or card board forms.

Description: Give
a child black construction paper and chalk of his or her choice.
Talk about the sky at night, color and what they might see if they
looked up into the sky. Stars, moon, plane lights etc. .Encourage
the child to draw (using the chalk ) something he or she would
see. If the child is capable have forms of stars or stencils of planes
and planets available for him or her to use. Or if nothing
else, encourage the child to draw freehand a
scene on his or her paper of what they think is in the dark.

Comments: This is
a good way to introduce the solar system and night time. Helps
in conquering fears of the dark. Children and adults learn through
association of what they already know so this opens up many
fields for exploration.

"Magic"
Space PicturesPreschool and
kindergarten children recognize shapes and colors
when they create crayon resists with this art activity
from Teressa L.

Materials: Crayons,
paper, black paint and brushes.

Description:
Have children color a night picture with stars, moons and planets. Make
sure they color solidly. Then help them brush
black paint over the entire picture.

Comments: Children
told their parents they made "magic" pictures. One parent
said she bought her child a picture frame & hung the picture over
his bed. Other parents loved the idea and did the same.

"Santa
Clause Flying in a Rocket or Space ShipInstead
of on a Sled"Darlene J. shares
this activity saying, "The objective is to have the children use
their imaginations by writing a class story about Santa delivering
toys by space ship instead of a sled. "

Materials: Imaginations,
crayons, paper and a teacher to type up the story for each child's homemade
book.

Description: I
start the story off by telling the children that Santa's sled
has broken down and he
has to use a space ship to deliver toys to the boys and girls.
Then I ask open ended questions like " Where will he get a
space ship? Will his reindeer go with him? Will the space ship be
quicker you think than his sled?" These questions
spark their creativity and make a lively story. After
the story is written I have them decorate a book cover with Santa
and his spaceship!I used this activity
around Christmas when we did a space theme. The children loved it and
the parents got a kick out of our story!

Comments: Let the
children be creative with making their book covers. Let it be their work.

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